Transducer devices are commonly used as sensors in various settings. Transducer-based sensors may be used, for example, in rupture event scanning (RES) applications. RES technology involves using mechanical energy to break bonds within a sample material. In such a setting, transducers may be employed to produce the mechanical energy that breaks the bonds (e.g., by applying voltages to a piezoelectric material), and to sense and analyze phenomena occurring as a result of a rupture event within the sample material.
Transducer-based sensor systems such as those described above typically employ multiple distinct transducer elements to perform the functions described above. This allows for larger samples to be tested, and allows distinct portions of a sample material to be individually tested. Indeed, it is often desirable to employ a large number of transducer elements within a limited physical area, and/or to increase the density of transducer elements within a sensor device.
Many existing systems suffer from limitations that may render those systems undesirable for use in particular applications. For example, many existing transducer systems employ transducer elements in topologies that are relatively inefficient in terms of the physical space occupied by the system. Some topologies require relatively complicated supporting components to drive the transducers and process outputs. Still other systems are substantially limited in the rate at which sample data may be processed.
A transducer-based sensor system including a first transducer system and a second transducer system spaced from the first transducer system so as to define a sample area between the first transducer system and the second transducer system where the first transducer system and second transducer system are collectively configured to transmit surface acoustic waves in multiple directions through the sample area and receive such surface acoustic waves.